HAT: Yay! The second chapter has finally arrived! And now I think "Onward Aoshima" is just gonna be how I end my disclaimers because it's just plain cool. Anyway, this is where things are being pulled out of thin air so.. enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing aside from the plots and any convenient OCs that may come in the future. Onward Aoshima!

It had been a good day. The tour went without a hitch and there was a comfortable amount of extra cash in Stanford Pine's pocket. It'd been about five months since he'd gotten his youngest employee and he was proving to be a handful. The number of times he had to catch him from the roof or some other high place or pry him from some space that he can no longer fit in was ridiculous, but so long as he avoided this boy's grandmother's wrath as well as save himself the guilt of having the kid work in such a semi-dangerous position.

Currently there is only Stan and Soos in the Shack as everything is closed for the day and they are merely waiting for the boy's guardian to come for him.

"Mr. Pines, can I go to the bathroom?"

Stan groans and pinches the bridge of his nose. "Listen, Soos, I know school kinda brainwashed you into thinking you've gotta ask for permission for everything, but you don't have to ask me to use the bathroom." The boy still stands- or rather dances in place- waiting for an answer. The old man sighs and rolls his eyes. "Yes, you can use the bathroom."

"Thank you!" Calls the boy as he runs towards the bathroom.

Stan groans and rolls his eyes only to catch a movement. He continues to recount his money for the third time. By the fourth time he was sure of the numbers and placed the money in the correct place before he feels something tug at his jacket.

"Huh?"

"Abuelita's working late tonight so she can't come get me... Do you mind if I stay here a little longer?"

Gee, that's the third time this month... but then again, she's the only one taking care of him, Stanford thinks as he looks down at the hopeful kid. He can understand that the woman is doing her best to take care of her grandson since his mother had died during childbirth and his father was something that Stan can't say in front of the kid so whenever the woman was going to be work a while longer he let Soos stay a bit longer until she came for him- usually no later than ten.

"Yeah, sure, kid... Hungry?"

"Uh-huh."

Stan does into the back and throws a TV dinner into the microwave and as soon as it's finished he gives it to the boy and then makes himself one. He glances at the child as he sits in front of the TV eating with a smile on his face about whatever his favorite character was doing. Stan also recorded a few episodes of kid's shows that Soos could watch since his grandmother was a bit protective at the moment. He would normally just turn it to something he'd enjoy, but apparently- what was this?- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles? was good enough for Soos to quiet down and watch with intensity.

When he hears the microwave beep he grabs his own dinner and goes to sit in his arm chair, pulling Soos back from the TV. "You're gonna ruin your eyes, sit back."

"But Mr. Pines," the boy whines.

"No 'buts,'" Stan growls as he sits in his armchair. "If you're gonna watch TV you're gonna watch it away from it."

"Yes, Mr. Pines."

After several minutes his phone rings and he gets up with their trays at hand and answers. "Hello?"

"Hello, Señor Pines, it's Dolores. I'm not going to be able to come get Soos for a few more hours. Can you look after him tonight?"

'Um... sure, no problem."

"Just make sure he's in bed by ten."

"Okay."

"Goodbye."

"Bye."

He puts the phone on the receiver and throws away the trays before going back to the living room and glancing at the clock. It's about nine thirty so he should be putting Soos to sleep in thirty minutes. He puts in another tape and sits down. Soos has made himself comfortable leaning against the armchair and watches the show with rapt attention while Stan pulls out a book and begins to read. After fifteen or so minutes he feels a warm weight on his leg and looks over to see Soos fast asleep.

Kid's tuckered out... He picks up the boy with a grunt and places him on the chair before he goes into the kitchen and rolls up his sleeves to do the dishes- as he's been avoiding for a few days. There's not much to do to pass the time without kicking the kid out of his chair other than neglected chores- or so he thinks.

"Dad..."

"Huh?" Stan pokes his head into the living room and sees Soos tossing and turning anxiously.

"Where are you?"

"Oh, crap," the man grumbles when he sees the kid crying. He walks over and glances around as if that will help him find a solution when- in all actuality- it does not. The child lets out another whimper and Stan- despite how his body protests- crouches down and ruffles the boy's hair. "I'm here, kid... just... rest easy."

Much to his surprise Soos relaxes and sighs with a smile, content. He gets up and turns only to feel tiny hands crab his suit jacket. With a sigh he picks the kid up and sits down, putting him on his lap so that he can have his seat back and keep the boy from waking up and having a restless sleep.

He flips through channels, bored and trying to pass time for the next few hours before there is a knock on the door. He adjusts the boy so his head is resting on his shoulder and goes to the door to check who is at his door.

"Señor Pines?"

He opens the door and sees just how tired she looks. "Yeesh! Hey- uh... want me to come with you to put him to bed?"

"That would be very helpful," she admits with a grateful smile.

He places Soos in the back and puts the seatbelt on before settling himself in the passenger's seat. Once at her house he grabs her grandson and walks with her into her home and places the boy in the bed and takes off his shoes and hat and places them where the woman tells him to.

"There..."

"Thanks you," she says and kisses his cheek.

He blushes, not used to this treatment and scratches the back of his head. "I-I'm- uh- no problem..."

Interesting development... how about that, Stan thinks as he enters his home an hour later (A/N: C'mon! I couldn't help it! I had to make him acknowledge me without actually acknowledging me).

HAT: Yay! So, you're pretty soft, huh, Stan?

Stan: *frowns* I have nothing, but a cold, dark, empty soul.

HAT: That's what you said before Mabel found out about your crush on Lazy Susan.

Stan: Shut up. Besides, his grandma couldn't care less about me.

HAT: She was grateful! You know she's broke so she wasn't gonna pay you for taking care os Soos.

Stan: *crosses arms and rolls eyes* Whatever.

HAT: Will you please say it?

Stan: *stays quiet*

HAT: I'm not paying you for it.

Stan: *stays quiet*

HAT: *tosses him bacon*

Stan: *catches it* Review. *gobbles bacon up*

HAT: *eats some bacon* Yum!